Biological Control Research Articles

Hyaluronic acid-functionalized nanoarmor enhances the stable colonization ability of Paenibacillus polymyxa JF_P68 and boosts its biological control efficacy against pear anthracnose.

The application of biocontrol agents offers a promising strategy for managing pear anthracnose, yet their efficacy is often limited by unstable colonization on fruit surfaces. Here, we isolated Paenibacillus polymyxa JF_P68, which exhibits strong inhibitory activity against Colletotrichum fructicola. To enhance its environmental tolerance, we developed a hyaluronic acid (HA)-functionalized nanoarmor using a layer-by-layer coating technique. This nanoarmor significantly improved the JF_P68's resistance to ultraviolet radiation and oxidative stress. In vivo trials demonstrated that nanoarmor-equipped JF_P68 reduced pear anthracnose lesion diameters by 43.5% and maintained higher colonization levels on fruit surfaces. Genome analysis revealed 20 biosynthetic gene clusters, including novel antimicrobial candidates, underpinning its broad-spectrum antifungal activity. The single-cell coating method, characterized by simplicity, scalability, and biocompatibility, significantly enhances the persistence and efficacy of biocontrol agents. This study provides a novel approach to improving the biological control of pear anthracnose. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Rhizobacterium streptomyces sp. NEAU-383 as a potential biocontrol agent to control tomato bacterial wilt.

Rhizobacterium streptomyces sp. NEAU-383 as a potential biocontrol agent to control tomato bacterial wilt.

Chitin-amended media: Improving efficacy of Cordyceps fumosorosea as a control agent of Cydia pomonella.

The microbial control of insect pests such as the codling moth Cydia pomonella is a major challenge in the apple industry. This study investigates the potential of chitin-amended media to improve the efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps fumosorosea strain JKI-BI-1496 for control of C. pomonella. Chitin, a key component of insect exoskeletons, colloidal chitin (CC) or chitosan were added in two concentrations to the liquid growth media. Only by the amendment of 0.5% chitosan significant higher numbers of spores were formed whereas the highest biomass was achieved by amendment of chitin. Spores produced in chitosan had no significant effect on the mortality of C. pomonella. But media containing 1% colloidal chitin (CC) significantly enhanced the efficacy of C. fumosorosea. To achieve 75% mortality only 1.6×107 submerged spores/mL were needed in comparison of over four times higher concentrations in media without CC or chitin. However, while 1% CC positively impacted spore viability during the freeze-drying formulation process, it had a detrimental effect on the fungus's resilience under prolonged sunlight exposure. These findings provide valuable insights into optimizing media and formulations to enhance the effectiveness of C. fumosorosea in biological control, particularly by improving spore production and formulation processes.

Alternaria alstroemeriae F1 inhibits aspergillus flavus growth and weakens aflatoxins biosynthesis.

Alternaria alstroemeriae F1 inhibits aspergillus flavus growth and weakens aflatoxins biosynthesis.

Effects of insect odor cues and infective juvenile age on the host-seeking behavior of Steinernema siamkayai.

Effects of insect odor cues and infective juvenile age on the host-seeking behavior of Steinernema siamkayai.

Thrips tabaci, lindeman (Thysanoptera, thripidae ) onion pest : massive factor devastating the agro market of india . a case study on Allium cepa conducted at Ramgarh (Jharkhand, India).

Ramgarh is a district town located at latitude: 23.38 N and longitude 85.34 E. Moderate temperature, more humidity, dense greenery and rich in coal mines makes it one of the most attractive district of Jharkhand. Nature puts all the workmanship to create this place and reinforced all its beauty to it. It is surrounded three sides by hills and open at one side by planes .The hills, their slops, a variety of soils, plants and animals makes it a natural resource of biodiversity it is a niche of various kinds of animal and insect population. These insects pest destroy the agricultural and ornamental crops that gives economic losses to the farmers (Upadhyay 2022 ). The growing consciousness towards the consumption of vegetables and especially to onion as diet on health ground promote the farmers to intensification of onion farming. Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera ,thripadae ) is a serious onion pest widely distributed throughout the India, it causes both direct and indirect damage to onion crops ,resulting in high yield losses. The adult Thrips tabaci Lindman and their nymphs lacerate the surface tissues of the foliage, puncture the leaves and suck the exuding sap ultimately the whole plant dries up and the size of the bulb become small. The pest reduce not only the quality of onion but the quantity, nutritional value and the marketing approach also. It directly decline the supply of onion in agro market and cause price hike of this crop, its serious infestation losses 40% to 50% of the crop production .some peculiarity were also observed in this pest that males were insignificant, female reproduces parthenogenetically also. The life cycle of Thrips completed in 11 to 30 days. Female spend only 02 to 04 weeks and lays 50 to 60 eggs. Nymphal stages were 04 in which 02 were feeding and 02 were non feeding stage, Pre pupal and pupal stages develop inside the soil. Adult emerges from soil and started reproduction. The shortest life cycle is 11 to 14 days and longest life cycle is 21 to 30 days . The insect destroyed a major portion of cultivated crop and directly decline the onion market. The control of infestation of Thrips tabaci Lindeman (thysanoptera ,thripidae ) is very difficult so the farmers were advised to apply chemical as well as biological control methods .Carbaryl 0.1%,Monocrotophos 0.03% ,Dimethoate 0.03% were effective synthetic pesticides. In biological control some natural enemies as small birds, ants, mites plays very effective role to control the pest population, seranisus sps. also parasitised the nymphs of the pest and control the pest population.. KEYWORDS :Nature, Biodiversity, Infestation , parthenogenesis, chemical control, Carbaryl.

Quantification of the biological control of aphids by their natural enemies in sugar beet crops

Quantification of the biological control of aphids by their natural enemies in sugar beet crops

Gaining insight into best management practices for climate change impact abatement on agroecosystem services and disservices.

Gaining insight into best management practices for climate change impact abatement on agroecosystem services and disservices.

Climatic suitability and potential distribution of earleaf acacia and its candidate biological control agent Trichilogaster sp

Climatic suitability and potential distribution of earleaf acacia and its candidate biological control agent Trichilogaster sp

Harnessing biological control agents to mitigate red palm weevil infestations

Harnessing biological control agents to mitigate red palm weevil infestations

Wolbachia: A bacterial weapon against dengue fever- a narrative review of risk factors for dengue fever outbreaks.

Wolbachia: A bacterial weapon against dengue fever- a narrative review of risk factors for dengue fever outbreaks.

Efficiency of Compost Supplemented with Beneficial Microorganisms in the Biological Control of Tomato Crown and Root Rot in Protected Agriculture

The study aimed to evaluate the role of compost supplemented with beneficial microorganisms and biological agents to reduce infection with the pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis–lycopersici (FORL), which causes Fusarium crown and root rot disease of tomatoes. Antibiotic agents were added individually and in combination to compost treatments. The results obtained showed that adding to the olive compost the isolate T-zh-9 of Trichoderma viride alone led to significant disease control compared to other treatments. The fresh shoot weight reached 33.2 g/plant and the plant height 75.8 cm, in addition to high level of peroxidase enzyme activity of 1.57 and 1.04 μmol/mg, 15 and 30 days after infection with the pathogenic fungus, respectively. Adding the isolate FZB27 of Bacillus subtilis alone to the compost led to a reduction in the severity of infection with the pathogenic fungus FORL in plants treated with olive compost, reaching 13.9% compared to the control treatment (soil contaminated with pathogenic fungi (58.3%). Adding the two antibiotic isolates together to olive compost achieved the best results in reducing the severity of infection with the pathogenic fungus FORL and increasing the level of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activity. Keywords: compost, tomato crown and root rot disease, biocontrol agents, and defense enzymes.

A comparison of the structure and diversity of the microbial communities of Culicoides midges.

A comparison of the structure and diversity of the microbial communities of Culicoides midges.

Dynamic interplay of plants, microorganisms, and arthropods: exploring ecosystem

Plants, microorganisms, and arthropods continuously interact within the intricate system of the environment. These interactions can often lead to significant crop damage due to diseases and pests; however, there are also circumstances where microorganisms serve as necessary symbiotic plant partners. A range of beneficial microbes in the soil support plant development and health through direct and indirect mechanisms. These beneficial microorganisms, also known as "little helpers" are vital due to their ability to colonize various niches and their ubiquitous presence. Increasingly, such microorganisms are used as biological control agents and microbial fertilizers. They are specific to pests and diseases, with a minimal negative impact on humans and the environment. Plants face numerous environmental challenges and must respond appropriately to survive. Recent studies suggest that beneficial microbial biota in the soil can affect herbivores, highlighting the importance of these biological agents. Specifically, they can reduce the harmful effects of herbivorous insect pests, which damage plants are a major factor in global yield losses. Therefore, they are expected to be essential candidates to replace chemical insecticides in the near future. This review includes recent findings on many aspects of below-ground and above-ground plant-mediated interactions.

Adventively established Leptopilina japonica: a new opportunity for augmentative biocontrol of Drosophila suzukii

Abstract The invasive spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, has emerged as a significant global pest over the past decade, threatening fruit production worldwide. The parasitoid Leptopilina japonica, presumed native to East Asia, has established adventive populations in Europe and North America and is increasingly recognized for its ability to parasitize substantial proportions of D. suzukii larvae across diverse habitats. Here, we provide a broad review of the biology, establishment, distribution, and potential impacts of L. japonica. Using field data from international monitoring programs, we document the seasonal dynamics of plant–host–parasitoid associations and assess evidence for L. japonica’s impact on D. suzukii and non-target organisms. Findings indicate that L. japonica has successfully established in several areas where D. suzukii is present in Europe and North America, showing promise as a biological control agent to support sustainable pest management. Current data suggest it provides some suppression of D. suzukii populations with minimal non-target effects. However, long-term studies are necessary to clarify its food web interactions and efficacy as a biological control agent. In areas where L. japonica has been established, we propose its use in augmentative biological control programs to enhance its impacts in specific agricultural settings. Case-specific evaluations of its ecological effects and role in integrated pest management, supported by continued monitoring, are essential. The case of L. japonica illustrates the need for clear, research-informed policies to guide the use of adventively established non-indigenous natural enemies in pest management.

Unlocking the potential of Metschnikowia pulcherrima: a dive into the genomic and safety characterization of four plant-associated strains

Metschnikowia pulcherrima includes strains of applied agro-food interest, particularly due to the antimicrobial activity against plant pathogens, contribution to the aroma of fermented beverages, and preliminary evidence related to probiotic activity. This biotechnological relevance sheds new light of interest on the biology of this yeast. To better understand and expand its biotechnological potential and applicability, the genomes of M. pulcherrima NRRL Y-7111 T, NRRL Y-48695, CBS 10357, and NRRL Y-48712 were sequenced, and de-novo assembled. Between 10,671 and 14,548 genes were predicted and the cooperative genomic analyses were integrated with experimental assessments relating to traits relevant for biotechnological application and safety. In silico and in vitro safety assessment revealed intermediate sensitivity for itraconazole; furthermore, variants of the genes related to pulcherrimin production and transport were found in all the genomes. Moreover, an arsenal of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) was unravelled, and their predicted localization was investigated. This study expands the body of knowledge on M. pulcherrima, including traits relevant for defining its safety as a bioresource, which is a pivotal aspect for its possible inclusion in the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) list and its application in REgulated food/feed PROducts (REPRO) both in the European Union & aligned European countries.Graphical Key points• A pipeline for genomic characterisation and safety assessment of unconventional yeasts, using M. pulcherrima as a model species was developed.• M. pulcherrima strains can be considered safe and safety data can be used to develop a body of knowledge to include M. pulcherrima in EFSA QPS list.• Analysis of the predicted localization of CAZymes allowed the detection of compounds as potential biological control agents.

A Novel Plate Compartment–Confrontation Method Discovered That Volatile Organic Compounds Produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae Inhibit Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium graminearum

Biological control of plant diseases is important for crop production. Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium graminearum are two common pathogenic fungi which result in great harm to crop production, processing, and storage of foodstuffs. Yeasts have unique advantages to be the focus of biological control of plant diseases through multiple mechanisms, including producing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with inhibitory effect. However, the discontinuous display of inhibitory effect by yeast VOCs on pathogenic fungi is restricted by the conventional confrontation method, and the inhibitory mechanisms are unclear. We developed a new method to detect the inhibitory effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) VOCs on B. cinerea and F. graminearum. Our results showed that the yeast VOCs inhibited the growth and development of B. cinerea and F. graminearum and the strength of the inhibitory effect is positively related to the yeast inoculation amount. We confirmed the inhibition effect of ethyl acetic, one of the main yeast VOCs, on both pathogenic fungi. We further found that the deletion or overexpression of the ethyl acetic synthesis-related genes (ATF1 and/or ATF2) did not change the inhibitory effect much. The overexpression of ATF1 changed the main composition of VOCs. One of the changed VOCs, phenethyl acetic, even had stronger inhibitory effect than ethyl acetic on F. graminearum when they were added alone. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of yeast VOCs on pathogenic fungi is a complex module. The lonely added individual component of VOCs may inhibit the growth and development of pathogenic fungi, while the partial alternation of VOC composition through gene modification may not be enough to change the total inhibitory effect.

Artificial diets for rearing Euseius scutalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

Mass rearing of the predatory mite Euseius scutalis (Athias-Henriot) using natural prey is costly and labor-intensive, limiting its application in biological pest control. Artificial diets may serve as alternative food sources; however, some studies should be previously conducted, to evaluate the possible biological consequences of their adoption. In this study, we compared the suitability of eight artificial diets, including a basic artificial diet (A) consisting of a combination of 10% honey, 10% sucrose, 5% tryptone, 5% yeast extract, 10% egg yolk, and 60% distilled water (w/w), along with seven other diets, each consisting of 80% of diet A enriched with date palm pollen (B), Typha pollen (C), Ephestia kuehniella eggs (D), Helicoverpa armigera hemolymph (E), a mixture of date palm pollen and E. kuehniella eggs (F), Tetranychus turkestani adults (G), and hen's liver (H). The data showed that E. scutalis was able to complete its development on all tested diets. Oviposition of the predator was observed on all diets, except for diets E and H. Females reared on diets B and F had the shortest adult pre-oviposition period (APOP), while those on diet B had the shortest total pre-oviposition period (TPOP). Furthermore, the number of oviposition days and fecundity were highest on diets B, D and F. Diets B and F resulted in significantly higher intrinsic (r) and finite (λ) rates of increase than the other diets, with values statistically similar to those obtained on D. The lowest values of r and λ were recorded on diet G. Based on our results, date palm pollen, E. kuehniella eggs or their mixture added to the basic diet A are more beneficial than other options for use in artificial diets for the mass rearing of E. scutalis.

Neuromechanical Generative Model-Predictive Control of a Soft Hand Exoskeleton for Assistance in Functional Tasks

Probabilistic methods, such as generative networks, are being explored to synthesize robust input spaces for optimal control strategies with minimal computational overhead. These methods can be used to compensate for nonlinear couplings between biological movement control and robot nonlinear dynamics, such as in soft robotic mechanisms for lightweight, low-cost rehabilitation exoskeletons. In our prior study, we presented NeuroGAIN — Neuromechanical Generative Autoencoding Impedance Network — an offline learning approach integrating Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) and Variational Autoencoder (VAE) to forecast neuromuscular demand and the corresponding movement kinematics of a wearer using a neuromuscular measurement model conditioned on surface electromyography (sEMG) signals. In this work, we implement NeuroGAIN in an online sequential quadratic programming-based model-predictive control (MPC) framework for robust HRI optimization. We evaluate NeuroGAIN-MPC in an experiment with five healthy participants performing functional hand tasks while wearing a soft hand exoskeleton to find that NeuroGAIN-MPC enables robust optimal control of HRI dynamics with minimal analytical modeling, a key step toward developing individualized interventions.

First report of black pustule disease in sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica) in northern Egypt and its biological management

BackgroundIn October 2022, black pustules were observed on the lower surface of sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica) leaves in Kafer El-Dawar, North Egypt. Symptoms included abundant black pustules containing fungal conidia on plant leaves, which eventually led to the infected leaves drying out and dying.ResultsTwo causal fungi were isolated from symptomatic leaves and their pathogenicity was confirmed to induce typical disease symptoms. On the base on morphological features and further molecular identification, the isolated pathogens were identified as Alternaria alternata (accession No. PP197255), and Fusarium equiseti (accession No. PP197302). A survey was conducted to detect this disease on luffa plant leaves in northern Egypt, where luffa plants are cultivated. An attempt at biological control of this disease was made for two successive growing seasons under field conditions. BF, algae, Trichoderma harzianum and Bacillus subtilis were applied as seed treatments, and soil drenches were applied, followed by foliar spraying. Throughout the two seasons, the applied bioagent B. subtilis significantly reduced disease severity followed by the T. harzianum and algae treatments.ConclusionSeed treatment with two bioagents, T. harzianum and B. subtilis, had the greatest effect on disease severity, followed by soil drenching + foliar spray, soil drench only, and in that respective order. This is the first report of black pustules on the leaves of Luffa plants caused by Alternaria alternata and Fusarium equiseti in Egypt.